I never followed this guy, but it’s apparent to me that if you’re trying to run a blog to generate significant income, it’s going to be much more time consuming than spending 20 minutes at year-end rebalancing a portfolio of a few index funds.
A 45-year-old who’s been ‘fake retired’ for 10 years shares the surprising lessons he learned when he tried to retire early
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/02/45-year-old-fake-retiree-sha…
intercst
Interesting article. Then I stumbled over the $5,000 a month for preschool. WTF?!
He retired early but let his wife continue working. Obviously that makes travel and shared experiences harder.
Then he started a family at age 45! Ouch. Oh, and wife retired and he needed $160,000 income and that really wasn’t enough when the kid arrived and grew enough to need ‘preschool’ at $5K/yr. Ouch again.
He just retired too early.
I bailed out at 52.5. The first year was probably the hardest to get through with lack of friends at work and just ‘having a place to go’ every day, but I got over than in a few months. Even more so when 2/3rds the department I was in was laid off and the company headed into bankruptcy.
Then the full time hobbies kicked in, and the wish list of travel started and did that for over 10 years internationally to a dozen countries or more. Knocked most off the ‘target list of things to do’. I’ve seen more than enough castles and forts and famous churches…and ‘town squares’.
Always have been a big ham radio operator and that was Nr 1 activity in retirement as I completed running every county in the USA (with ham radio in car) - all 3077 including those in HI and the 4 judicial districts in AK (a month in both places sightseeing and on the radio). Then I did it a second time taking another 10 years.
Once 2016 came around, the ARRL sponsored National Parks on the Air to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Park Service. I went to over 200 parks, monuments, historic sites in 42 different states that year - NH to CA to FL on big trips and had a boat load of fun! Slowed down a bit in mid 70s now but still travel. Done at least 500,000 miles of driving in the last 25 years.
Other main activity is writing the monthly County Hunter News OnLine that takes 5-15 hours a month. Did volunteer for a while with Volunteers in Plano and put in 8-10 hours a month maybe for a couple years helping out.
Never looked back or thought of getting ‘another job’ after I left and was gone for a few months. Had more than sufficient resources. (no wife, no late family, no kids).
As to legacy, when I die, some of my money goes to my favorite charity, some to my relatives but I hope I get to spend a bunch of it, but growth in portfolio means I should be spending 2-3 times what I spend now to have any hope of even not reaching a big number in 10 or 15 or 20 years in the portfolio.
For many years I stayed at Motel 6 type places when traveling. Now moved up to Super 8s and Days Inn…more than adequate for me… and I don’t like Hiltons and Marriots and other fancy places.
t.
Financial Samurai is proof you can be retired, yet be innumerate.
Wow…
I’ve shared a lot about my early retirement journey, and one of the biggest pushbacks I get from readers goes something like: “You’re still doing some sort of work and getting money in return, so you’re not actually retired.”
That’s a fair point, which is why I think more people should embrace the term “fake retirement.” Many of us early retirees are writing blog posts, recording videos, creating e-courses, writing books or selling art. I still run my blog Financial Samurai, and I just spent two years working on my personal finance book, “Buy This, Not That.”
A lot of early retirees are working harder than ever …
By proclaiming myself a “fake retiree,” I’m owning the criticism.
I never imagined that he would finally own up to this. I’ve been one of those many readers that was critical of him claiming he was early retired. He built his brand around this false image of early retirement.
He did not retire, he just became self-employed.
Hawkwin
Who has been self-employed and is well aware that it can be working harder than ever…
great way to see the world…are you an extra? morse code? …digital?
what is your radio, antenna, and power source you use while traveling?
i got a tech license the 1st year i retired and passed the general test in may.
i hope you will be kind enough to Elmer me with some tips.
thanks …KD9OEW
I never followed this guy,…
That guy is gawdawful, in my opinion.